


ash i saw rise in the flame

by lemonyellowlogic



Series: all you have is your fire and the place you need to reach [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Crying, Fluff, Gen, Hugging, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, The Wani Crew really care about Zuko, Zuko makes a Decision, what of it, yeah zuko has realized everything a bit quickly, zuko is really stressed and doesn't think things through
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25522075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonyellowlogic/pseuds/lemonyellowlogic
Summary: Zuko stood in the middle of his room, his armor gone and his phoenix plume tied tightly back. Zuko quickly walked to his uncle, “I have a plan.”Iroh raised an eyebrow with a smile, “Do tell then.”--zuko has a plan.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: all you have is your fire and the place you need to reach [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799935
Comments: 29
Kudos: 343





	ash i saw rise in the flame

Zuko knelt, his head firmly in his hands as his mind raced. Tears began to prick the corners of his eyes, but he ignored them as much as he ignored the hushed voices outside of his door.

He knew his uncle probably had already told Jee the bare minimum of the situation, that they were “pausing the mission,” and that Jee probably spread it to the others. Rumors spread like wildfire on a vessel as small as the Wani, but he didn’t understand why some of the crew stood outside his door as if they cared about him.

He didn’t deserve care. He was an idiot, a fool.

The prince sighed, wiping the lone tear that clung to his cheek and he stood up. He gnawed on his lip as he trudged towards his small bed, which he then proceeded to ungracefully throw himself into.

He stared up at the ceiling, refusing to let slumber overtake him, ignoring how it tugged at his eyes. In all honesty, Zuko had no idea what to do, or where he should go next. He couldn’t go back to the Fire Nation and didn’t want to. He had been lied to too much. He should've known his father only spoke lies, Azula was just like him.

Zuko’s own father hated him so much he had sent him on a wild turtle-duck chase to find a legend, and Zuko knows now he was never supposed to go home. There was nothing there for him there anymore anyway. His mother is gone, his sister hurts him and his father hates him. The only person he truly has is his Uncle, and he came with him.

The Water Tribes and Air Nomads weren’t even options, as one was all but gone and one was actually gone. The Northern tribe could be an option but he’s a fire bender, being around cold constantly is a horrible idea.

He wouldn’t fit in the Earth Kingdom great, but he could imagine his uncle would be happy there at least, so it was an option for Zuko to settle on.

What he couldn’t imagine, however, is being where he’d be most useful: with the Avatar.

He and Uncle could travel with them, Zuko protecting them as Uncle taught him firebending, but Zuko had already hurt them so much. He knew Aang’s words couldn’t be honest...could they?

But he had attacked them, hurt them. He took the waterbender’s necklace. Tracked them for a month. How could they forgive him?

Zuko’s eyes went wide with a relation. They didn’t have to forgive him if they didn’t know it _was_ him, right? He sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. He has a plan.

* * *

“He isn’t asleep, I can hear him rummaging around in there.”

Juni swatted at Lee, who had his ear held close to the prince’s door. He swatted back at her, who had her hands on her hips, annoyed at his antics.

“Be quieter, Lee. He’ll hear us and start yelling again.”

“You're right.”

Juni and Lee jumped at the sound of the General’s voice, who looked at them with one eyebrow quirked. They both immediately turned to him, bowing with the flame, and Juni scrambled with an apology, “We’re so sorry, General Iroh, we were just-”

“Checking on my nephew, I can see.” He gave them both a soft smile and nodded his head, the two rising from their bows and watching as the boy’s uncle pressed his ear to the door as well. His lips pursed, and he leaned back.

“What have you heard?”

“Well...he was meditating for a bit, then he moved to his bed, we think.” They looked at each other and nodded, “He laid for...ten minutes? Before he jumped out of bed and began moving around.”

Iroh hummed, stroking his beard, “Has Jee told you two of the situation?”

Lee gnawed on his lip, “Somewhat, Sir. That Prince Zuko decided to pause the mission? We were worried about him so we decided to check on him. As...you can obviously tell.”

Iroh grinned, “I can. And I appreciate it. Zuko needs as many people caring for him as he can, and I am thankful for you two.”

The two smiled back at the general, who then spoke again, turning towards the door, “Now, I must speak with him again, and I think it’s in your best interest he does not notice you two standing with me.”

They looked at each other, nodded and smiled, before bowing to the general and walking briskly down the hall. Iroh sighed, opening his nephew’s door slowly.

“Nephew?”

“Uncle.”

Zuko stood in the middle of his room, his armor gone and his phoenix plume tied tightly back. Zuko quickly walked to his uncle, “I have a plan.”

Iroh raised an eyebrow with a smile, “Do tell then.”

Zuko gave his uncle a rare nervous smile, before sitting at his bed, Iroh following him.

“Well, I know the Avatar’s friends hate me, and..they’re right to, but since the Avatar invited me to join, I have decided I will.”

Iroh pursed his lips and Zuko quickly began to babble, “Not that I want to take down the Fire Nation! It is still my home and I love my people, it’s just my father who needs taken care of! He's said too many lies to our people to be trustworthy and has hurt too many. You can take the throne after, and then everything will be good. I’m not a traitor, I swear-”

“Calm yourself, Prince Zuko,” He raised a hand and Zuko stopped, a faint blush rising on his cheeks, “I’d like you to continue this plan of yours.”

He swallowed, “Yes, of course. Um, I broke the Avatar, Aang is his name, out of prison using a mask, the Blue Spirit one from the theater, and so I can pretend to his friends that I'm not...me...that I'm a different person.”

Iroh hummed, “And what of the Wani?”

“Well…” Zuko bit the skin on his lip, “I was thinking you and the crew would stay on the ship, and I would too, most of the time, but we could...follow them?”

“Follow them? Like we have been?”

“No, this time I’d be getting information and giving it to them, but they’d still think it was me on the ship, but we’d...um...work together.”

“Hmm. Well, you seem made up on this subject. But, my nephew, you don’t have the details down. I will not stop you, but think this through.”

“I have! My destiny can’t be to kill them! I have to be more than that.”

“You are, my nephew, even without doing this, you are.”

Zuko gave his uncle another smile, and let himself be hugged tightly by the man.

“When will you leave?”

“Now.”

“No. Sleep first.”

“They’ll be leaving soon, Uncle. I can’t miss them.”

“No.” Iroh raised his hand, unmoving, “You need to sleep, my nephew. I will not allow exhaustion to eat away at you. Sleep tonight, and tomorrow, speak with the crew about your decision if you do want to go through with it and after that, you may leave. But we will follow after the bison, I promise you that.”

Zuko sighed, but nodded, “Okay, Uncle.”

Uncle kissed his brow and stood. 

“Please don’t try to sneak out tonight, nephew. I will have someone stand guard outside to make sure.”

Zuko grumbled affirmatively, and threw his boots off, laying down on his bed turned away from Iroh. He smiled at his nephew, before walking out the door.

His nephew didn’t often think plans completely through, but he could tell he was not to be moved from his decision. He could only hope it was the right one.

**Author's Note:**

> no, i do not like this one very much!
> 
> i'm posting it because i really just need to get the ball rolling and get to the parts i actually want to write, but i'm not a fan of it. I'll probably rewrite it eventually, but i hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> feel free to comment your thoughts below!
> 
> and if you'd like to see updates on writing or just my dumb ramblings, check out my tumblr! (@lemonyellowlogic)


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